make these particular circumstances, peculiar to each of us, the subject of our public devotions; therefore we must retire into our closets, and pray to our heavenly father in secret.

If we attend the public devotions of our families, or at the church, ever so constantly, still there is a necessity for daily private devotions, that we may confess our secret sins, give thanks to God for our particular blessings, and pray particularly for his divine Grace to protect us from those temptations to which we are most liable.

When we are thus particular in confessing our secret sins, and in acknowledging the mercies and blessings of our Creator, it must have a much stronger effect upon our minds than if we only did all this in a public and general manner.

Among the many excellent instructions given, by our Saviour to his disciples is this: When thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut the door, pray to thy Father which is in secret, and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly. And this he practised himself; he chose a mountain, a desert, or a garden, for this purpose; and, that he might be more private, he prayed at night; when he was unobserved by any human eye. A great while before it was day, he went out and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed. At another time, he continued all night in prayer to God.

Many examples of this kind we have in the scriptures: Hannah prayed unto the Lord, and

wept sore; she spoke in her heart, and her voice was not heard. David remembered God upon his bed, and meditated on him in the nightwatches. Abraham was alone when he stood before the Lord and prayed for Sodom. Jeremiah's soul wept in secret places for the pride of his people. And Peter went up upon the house top to pray about the sixth hour. All these are written for our learning, that we, through patience and comfort of the scriptures, might have hope.

We are not obliged always to be upon our knees, but we ought once every day at least to retire into some secret place, and perform this important duty. And, when we do this, it will be an effectual means of increasing our faith; will make us perfectly resigned to the will of Providence, and ready to perform all possible acts of kindness to our fellow creatures. When we come out of the closet to worship God in the family, or to the public worship in church, we are then much better prepared for it than if we had neglected this duty; the public ordinances would be more improving to us, and we should relish religious exercises with greater pleasure.

What can tend more to alleviate an afflicted mind, which is, perhaps, labouring under the pressure of losses and disappointments, under sickness, or some bodily pain, than to retire in secret and vent its grief, and implore the divine assistance? And what greater comfort can there be to a man, than to think that he is addressing himself to a gracious Father, who

has promised to reward him openly for such secret acts of piety? The bountiful Creator will, most assuredly, reward him openly in this life, or that which is to come.

Every one has something in his constitution or situation that subjects him to particular temptations, which requires that he should be very watchful over himself; to give a due attention to his thoughts, words, and actions, and to keep a strong guard where he finds himself most exposed to danger. And how is he to do this, unless he retires into his closet to examine his actions, and pray to the supreme Being to guard and protect him?

If ye will be followers of Christ, and those good men whose examples are recorded in scripture for our imitation, we must needs think ourselves under the highest obligation to pray in secret. And when we accustom ourselves to this, we shall obtain an habitual temper of devotion; so that whenever we catch ourselves in a fault, we shall naturally address our minds to God in a penitential ejaculation: and this we may do in company as well as in the closet.

As prayer is the life of religion, so short ejaculations are the life of prayer. And frequency of prayer requires that we should offer up short ejaculations to God. We have abundant instances of this sort in scripture, especially in the Book of Psalms. Holy David took occasion from almost every circumstance of life, to break out into pathetic starts of devotion, which kept his heart continually warm.

When he was in distress, he would comfort himself after this manner: Why art thou cast down, O my soul; put thy trust in God. Upon the receipt of any singular blessing he would say, Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. When he was in heaviness he would think upon God. When his heart was vexed, he would complain in some such words as these: The sorrows of my heart, O God, are enlarged; O bring thou me out of all my troubles. As soon as he was delivered from his troubles he would say, Turn again, then, unto thy rest, O my soul, for the Lord hath sustained thee. Every observation that occurred to his mind upon God, Nature, and himself, generated the most rapturous exclamations of praise and thanksgiving. The Publican smote upon his breast, and cried out, God be merciful to me a sinner. Our Saviour expressed himself in short petitions, making frequent stops and intermissions Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me, &c. And again, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. St. Stephen also, when he prayed for his murderers, said, Lord Jesus receive my spirit: lay not this sin to their charge.

>

From these instances, we see how necessary it is to call frequently upon God in short ejaculations. And let it be considered, that God regards the temper of the soul more than the length of a prayer: the short ejaculation of the Publican was more acceptable than the long prayer of the Pharisee..

Having, I think, made it appear that private prayer is a great Christian duty, I shall now,

Secondly, Shew that every governor of a family is bound to call every one of his household together, and offer up their joint prayers to God for his blessing and protection..

And this, because it is the duty of every Christian, let him be in what station soever, to promote piety and religion, the glory of God, and the welfare and happiness of his fellowcreatures. A king, as supreme; a clergyman, as the pastor of his parish; and a master, as the head of his family, are all, in their respective stations, God's stewards, and must give an account of their stewardship. It therefore highly becomes them to act with that integrity and uprightness which is justly expected of them by their great Lord and Master, who will most assuredly require the blood of such as perish through their neglect, at their hands.

Every family, then, must be considered as a little parish, and the governor of it (if I may so speak) a priest, who is as much obliged to watch over the spiritual welfare of those under his charge, as a minister of a parish is over those of his flock. If any man provide not for his own, saith St. Paul, and especially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel. And I am sure he must deny the faith every day who neglects to provide for the spiritual welfare of his family, in not instructing them in the principles of religion, and calling them together every morning